What’s inside

Get to know the characteristics of your dog’s breed

Visit the library or browse the Internet for information about the special characteristics of your dog’s breed and how you can make use of them in training.

Learn to hold your leash correctly

Put your right thumb through the loop at the end of the leash. Make a single loop and hold the loop with your right hand near your waist. This frees up your left hand to pet the dog, give him treats or help position him, as necessary. Sometimes when it’s necessary to give a collar correction, you may need to hold the leash with both hands but as soon as the correction is completed, free up your left hand again to praise and encourage the dog.

Learn the heel position

Before practicing any heeling exercises, be certain that you completely understand the heel position. Here’s what it looks like:

You and your dog are in correct heel position when the dog is no more than four inches from your left side, facing in the same direction as you. Whether the dog is sitting, standing, lying down or moving next to you, he is in proper heel position when the area from his head to his shoulders is in line with your left hip/leg.